West Virginia Botanic Garden
The West Virginia Botanic Garden is a botanical garden located in Morgantown, West Virginia, and is the only botanical garden in the state of West Virginia.[1] It covers approximately 85 acres of land and 4.5 miles of walking trails, and has 8 gardens.[2] It is situated near Cheat Lake, and the Tibbs Run Reservoir, which was used as a water source for Morgantown before 1969. The reservoir basin was drained in 1980 and is now grown over with plants. The garden was founded in 1983 by George Longenecker, a professor at West Virginia University, and a group of volunteers. The city leased the site for the garden in 1999, and the garden has since been maintained by volunteer work.[3] In 2023, the garden was updated to include repaved roads and trails, as well as new signage, boardwalks, and a section showcasing various fossils. A visitor's centre is planned to be installed sometime in 2024. [4]